1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to surgical drapes, and more particularly relates to a multi-layered drape for protecting patients during laser surgery.
2. Background Art
Many new surgical techniques have been developed for the treatment of cancer among other things. Laser surgery requires the use of a laser beam which can be harmful to the patient if it is misdirected or misapplied for a long period of time. It would therefore be desirable to have a drape which would maintain a sterile area about the operation and at the same time provide protection to the patient from the laser beam for areas outside the operative area.
Various devices have been patented which use one or more layers of material for protecting individuals from radiation. A discussion of various such patented devices follows hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,611,031 entitled "Compound Fabric" issued to T. Henderson in 1926. This invention relates to a compound material of that kind which comprises layers of lead or other metal foil and a flexible material for protecting same. The material consists of a layer of thin thread fabric preferably previously waterproofed overlying at one or both sides a layer of lead or other metal foil which is supported by thin paper on one or both sides, said paper being preferably attached to the foil by waterproof adhesive.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,479,094 issued in 1949 to J. A. Bickness and is entitled "Dual-Toned Metallic-Coated Web." The process of making the dual-toned metallic-coated flexible webs comprises applying a metallic-coating to a suitable flexible base by any desired or conventional means: the so-coated web is then acted upon, by mechanical means, at divers spots or areas whereby the areas acted upon are changed in respect to brilliance, gloss, metallic appearance or the like from their original condition and from other areas of the sheet which are unacted upon or acted upon to a lesser degree.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,683,262 entitled "Protective Cover" issued July 13, 1953 to B. Foss. The invention basically discloses a covering member preferably made of white cloth, such as cotton or muslin, comprising a front portion, and a back portion of generally rectangular configuration, capable of at least partially reflecting the rays caused by an atomic bomb explosion.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,098,780 issued to J. N. Krause issued July 23, 1963 relates particularly to a curl resistant metallic foil to paper lamination and processes for producing such laminations.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,360 entitled "Gynecology or Lithotomy Drape" issued May 17, 1966 to F. J. Melges. This invention discloses an improved gynecology or lithotomy drape of unitary form which has no separate legging to attach to same, and which is adapted to fully cover a patient conventionally resting on an operating or delivery table with the patient's legs and feet supported in elevated position by means of stirrups.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,956 issued May 22, 1962 to D. Gonda et al and is entitled "Flexible Protective Covering Sheet Material." This patent discloses protective covering materials for packaging and preserving an item liable to corrosion or other deterioration under the action of moisture or moisture vapour comprising a tough pre-fabricated flexible material which is completely proof against moisture and moisture vapour even after being repeatedly folded or crumpled and is capable of being easily joined to another part of the same material in a moisture and moisture proof manner, for example, by heat sealing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,059,364 issued in 1962 shows a flexible protective covering sheet material comprising a layer of lead foil and a sheet of fabric reinforced flexible corrosion resistant heat-sealable material having a thickness of not less than 0.01 inch adhered to each side of the said foil.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,019 entitled "Catheter Drape and Wrap issued in Ramona Gittins in 1970 pertains to a medical drape, adapted to provide a sterile field for performing a catheterization procedure and other medical and surgical procedures. Another feature covered herein is a novel method of performing the catheterization procedure using the new drape. As a secondary feature, the drape also serves as a wrapping for storing the medical and surgical equipment in a sterile field prior to performance of the procedure. The drape, adapted to be draped over the patient, comprises a sterilizable, foldable sheet of material having an opening formed therein through which the procedure is performed and having graspable means disposed thereon for unfolding the material without contaminating the sterile field.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,878,843 issued in 1975 to B. Morgan shows a surgical drape or laminate including a plastic film with a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive on one face surface of the film and a flexible paper conter cover layer thereover, and parallel pairs of cover strip means on edge portions of the adhesive whereby when an inner cover strip is removed, the edges of the laminate can be folded inwardly on themselves to provide a thickened laminate for drape grip and handling action.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,942 issued on Aug. 16, 1977 and discloses a drape for use in surgical procedures including a sterile sheet, a generally diamond-shaped opening in the sheet, and a slot extending from a corner of the opening to an edge of the sheet. The sheet is constructed of a disposable non-woven cellulosic material and the opening and the slot have folded edges formed by reversely folded portions of the material. A reinforcing sheet having a matching diamond-shaped opening and a matching slot can be secured to the main sheet in superimposed relation. The main sheet and the reinforcing sheet have respective openings and slots in direct alignment to define a fenestrated surgical drape having a pair of split end portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,862 issued on May 10, 1977 to Herman Glasser et al and shows a radiation eye shield adapted to protect the wearer from the hazards of direct beam and scattered radiation. In one embodiment, the entire eye shield is of a high density material and in another example of the invention, the shield comprises goggles having a pair of lead-glass lenses and lead impregnated vinyl shielding applied to the front and side surfaces of the goggles surrounding the lenses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,355 entitled "Radiation Shield Vest and Skirt" issued in 1980 to Gayle Maine shows a two-piece radiation shield garment for the human body comprising an adjustably overlapping vest to protect the upper body and a wraparound skirt to protect the lower body. The vest and skirt are constructed of multiple inner layers of flexible radiation shielding material covered with nonshielding fabric or other material. The vest and skirt may be attractively fashioned and decorated to encourage their use as a shield garment for women. The vest includes a rear shield panel joined to a pair of overlapping front shield panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,794 entitled "Surgical Drape" issued to Robert F. Collins on Apr. 5, 1983 discloses a surgical drape comprising, a main sheet of flexible material having a fenestration, and an opening in the expected path of fluid runoff from the fenestration. The drape has a fluid pervious screen covering the opening. The drape also has a pocket comprising a flap covering a lower portion of the screen, with the flap having an upper edge and defining a cavity facing toward the expected path of fluid runoff from the fenestration.
None of the prior art devices above-discussed provides a surgical drape suitable for protection of a patient from laser beams during a laser surgical operation.